Timing device



Dec. 19, 1939. w c c sp ET AL 2,183,548

TIMING DEVICE Filed Aug. 16, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet l 19, 1939- w. c. CRISP ET AL 2,183,548

TIMING DEVICE Filed Aug. 1s, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 9 M, QM? W10" Dee 19, 1939. w. c. CRISP ET AL 2,183,543

TIMING DEVICE Filed Aug. 16, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Dec. 19, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TIMING DEVICE Application August 16, 1935, Serial No. 36,532

9 Claims.

This invention relates to timing devices of the type adapted for the timing of games and contests, such as athletic contests. Many athletic contests, particularly basketball and football, continue for periods of definite lengths and, upon request of either team, time-out periods of definite duration are frequently allowed, which timeout periods are not computed as a part of the playing period of fixed duration.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved timer of this type, which will accurately measure and indicate playing or contest periods of definite, predetermined lengths, with which the measurement and indication of the passing of time in such a contest period may be stopped at will for any desired number of timeout periods and then resumed, with which such time-out periods may be accurately measured automatically and the termination of each period audibly indicated, with which the termination of the contest period of predetermined duration may be audibly indicated, with which the visual indicator for the contest period will always indicate directly the duration of the remaining time of the period, with which drift of the visual indicating means and their operating means, when time-out periods are taken, will be reduced to a minimum automatically, with which the visual indicating means may be easily and rapidly reset at will,

with which visual indicating means of large size may be provided for the spectators to indicate directly time remaining in each contest period, and may be located at a substantial distance from the controlling mechanism, and which will be relatively simple, compact, dependable, practical, convenient and inexpensive.

Another object of the invention is to improve and simplify timers for athletic and other contests, and to reduce the liability and possibility to of error in the measurement and indication of the time periods for any contest, and which will have maximum flexibility and ease of control.

Various other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description of an 4-3 embodiment of the invention, and the novel features will be particularly pointed out hereinafter in connection with the appended claims. In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of a timer constructed in 50 accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is an inside or bottom plan of the mechanism of the control box and illustrating the appearance of the mechanism which is mounted on the under or inner face of the cover or panel 55 of the control box which is shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is the sectional elevation through the spectators clock, to illustrate the mechanism for operating the time indicating hand;

Fig. 4 is an elevation of a part of the mechanism shown in Fig. 3 to illustrate the positions of some of the parts while the spectators clock hand is being reset;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 55 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is an elevation of the time-out mechanism 10 shown in Fig. 2, with the parts in the positions occupied at the end of a time-out period;

Fig. 7 is a sectional elevation through one of the cartridges, which is fired electrically to create an audible signal at the end of a playing 15 period;

Fig. 8 is a sectional elevation of part of the control mechanism shown in Fig. 2, the section being taken approximately along the line 88 of Fi 20 Fig. 9 is a sectional elevation of another part of the control mechanism for initiating the firing of a cartridge, the section being taken approximately along the line 9-9 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 10 is a sectional view through the circuit 25 closer which fires the shell, the section being taken approximately along the line l!ll0 of Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a sectional elevation through the control mechanism, the section being taken approx- 30 imately along the line I l--ll of Fig. 2;

Fig. 12 is a wiring diagram of the circuits contained in the improved timer;

Fig. 13 is a diagram of a portion of the circuit shown in Fig. 12, but illustrating a slight modification of a portion thereof;

Fig. 14 is a sectional elevation through the mechanism for maintaining the cartridge in a position to be fired;

Fig. 15 is another sectional elevation of the same, the section being taken approximately along the line l5-l5 of Fig. 14; and

Fig. 16 is a sectional plan of the same, the section being taken approximately along the line iii-it of Fig. 14.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the timer includes a control box ID, a spectators clock II, and a cartridge firing device [2. The assembled device is shown in Fig. 1, and current for its operation is obtained through a connecting, twin cable wire l3 leading from the control box l0 and terminating in the usual two prong connecting plug M. A twin cable l5 connects the control box ID with the cartridge mounting and firing device I2, and a multi-wire 5Q cable It having a detachable coupling ill in series therein, connects the control box Ml with the mechanism of the spectators clock it. The dial face it of the spectators clock l l is provided with graduations i9 extending thereon progressively from a zero position.

By way of example, the illustrated timer is built for indicating basketball periods of twenty minutes each, exclusive of time-out periods. For this example, the graduations it on the spectators clock indicate minutes and fractions thereof equal to a range of twenty minutes back to the starting point. The spectators clock also includes a visual indicating hand 28 which is mounted to rotate about an axis approximately centrally of the dial face, and to travel along the graduations through a complete circle. The direction of travel of the hand Zl during a con test period is in the direction of the arrow in Fig. l, and it will be noted that in its travel it always indicates directly the time still remaining of the contest period, or the number of minutes yet to be played in the contest period.

The control box Ed includes a suitable housing having a panel or face El with sight windows 22 therein, and mounting a plurality of manually operated switches 23, 24, 25, it and N, the switch 2i being of the double throw type. The control mechanism contained in the control box is mounted on the under or inner face of the panel 2!, as shown in Fig. 2, and includes a constant speed, electric motor 23 which preferably is of the alternating current, synchronous type. The armature or rotor of this motor is connected through a suitable speed reduction gear mechanism 259 to a pinion 3%, Figs. 2 and 11, and is very similar to the synchronous electric motor clocks now in common use.

A sleeve M (Fig. 11) is mounted for rotation in a bearing block 32 which is carried by a plate 33, and this sleeve Si is connected by a telescopic coupling with a shaft 35 which also telescopes with the coupling and is disposed in axial alignment with the sleeve fit. The free end of the shaft 35 is reduced and rotatably mounted in a bearing bracket 3%. The coupling 34 may be detachably fixed to the sleeve 3i and the shaft 35 in any suitable manner, such as by set screws 3i. Another shaft 38 has a head 39 disposed within the coupling between the inner end of the shaft 35 and the adjacent end of the sleeve 3!.

The shaft 38 extends through the sleeve 3i, is axially aligned with the pinion 3t, and carries a cup-shaped element dil which telescopes over the adjacent end of the pinion Eli and has internal teeth meshing with the teeth of the pinion 3lJ, so as to provide a driving, but endwise sliding, connection between the pinion 3t and the shaft 38. The sleeve 35 carries an enlarged section with teeth forming a pinion ll which abuts endwise against a face of the bearing 35. and limits movement of the sleeve til toward the pinion 3B.

A dished washer d2 fits over the shaft 35 and abuts against the bearing so as to act as an abutment for one end of a helical spring which also surrounds the shaft 38 and is com-- pressed between the cup-shaped member it and the washer 42. The spring &3 thus urges the shaft 38 endwise towards the pinion 3?; and shifts the head 355 of the shaft against the end of the sleeve 3!, so as to provide a frictional drive between the shaft 3% and the sleeve 3!. The cup-shaped element M, by its telescopic fit over the pinion ill, is free to slide endwise along the pinion 3G to a limited extent, while being rotatably driven from the pinion 3t.

Another sleeve i is rotatably mounted on the sleeve 3! between the coupling M and the pinion ll. This sleeve i let the end adjacentthe pinion ii, mounts a gear Q5 and at the end adjacent the coupling mounts a barrel or minutes dial cylinder to (see Figs. 2 and 11). The barrel or cylinder 45 may have a hub ii which its the sleeve 44, and a set screw 58 serves to secure the cylinder 6 to the sleeve A bushing is secured on the sleeve between the gear to and the hub ii of the cylinder in any suitable man-- ner, such as by a set screw 59, and a cam 59 of insulating material is adjustably clamped on a shoulder of the bushing 19 by the abutting end of the hub ll.

The pinion ii of the sleeve 3! meshes with and drives a gear 52 (Figs. 2 and 8) which is carried by a shaft 53 (Fig. 8) that is rotatably mounted in the plate 33 and in a bracket carried by the plate. The shaft 53 also carries a pinion 55 which meshes with and drives the gear if: that is mounted on the sleeve M. The pinion M, gear 52, pinion and gear con stitutes a dial train by which the cylinder is driven at a rate of speed which is lower than the rate of speed of the shaft and the sleeve 3!. A seconds dial cylinder 5G (Figs; 2 and ll) is provided with a nu bl which fits upon the shaft 35 and is secured thereto in any suitable manner such as by a set screw 58. We thus have two dial cylinders 4t and 56 disposed to end and rotating about the same axis but at different speeds.

The dial cylinder 56, upon its outer periphery, carries graduations from zero to sixty representing seconds of time, and the gear ratio between the shaft 35 and the motor 28 is such that when the motor runs at its constant speed, the seconds dial cylinder 53 will rotate once in each minute of time. The cylinder ii) also carries, on its periphery, graduations representing minutes, and when the timer is used for basketball games the graduations of cylinder it are preferably fro-m zero to twenty, with a space between zero and twenty, to represent twenty minutes as the contest period. The gear ratio between the pi.. ion ll and the gear 65 is such as to cause the cylinder 46 to move from the graduation twenty to zero during exactly twenty minutes.

The direction of rotation is such that the graduations on the minutes cylinder to will read in a decreasing direction, that is, will indicate the time remaining or to be played in the game instead of the time already played, so that one may know immediately, without computation and upon inspection of the dial cylinders and 56, the time remaining to be played in each period. The dial cylinders and 5d are disposed in alignment with the windows 22 inv the panel 2!, so that graduations on the will be visual through those windows and will indicate directly the amount of time yet to be played in a contest period.

In order to reset the dials 46 and 58 to starting positions in which the dials together indicate exactly the full contest period and which, in a basketball timer, will be twenty minutes, I have provided a resetting knob 59 mounted on a spindle 50 (Fig. 2) which is mounted to slide endwise of itself and rotate in the frame of motor 23. The inner end of the spindle 66 carries a pinion 6| which, when the button 59 is shifted inwardly, is disengaged from the gear 52. When the button 59 is pulled outwardly, the pinion BI is shifted into meshing engagement with the gear 52, as shown in Fig. 8, whereupon if the button 59 is then turned, the dial train and the sleeve 3| and 44 will be rotated. This rotation may be continued until the dials are properly set at starting position, such as to indicate an even twenty minutes when viewed through the windows 22.

As the pinion 6| moves into meshing engagement with the gear 52, it also moves into meshing engagement with a ratchet pawl 62 which is pivoted at 83. A leaf spring 54, anchored at 85, bears upon the pawl 62 and urges it yieldingly into meshing engagement with the pinion 6|, but when the pinion 6| is shifted out of engagement With the pawl 62, the latter will be shifted by the spring 64 into engagement with the spindle or stem 6|] which acts as a stop for the pawl. Obviously any other stop for the pawl 62 may be employed. The pawl 62 is positioned to act as a ratchet pawl on the pinion, as shown in Fig. 8 and limit rotation of the dial train and dials to the direction in which the dials 46 and 58 are normally driven by the motor and prevents reverse movement. The periphery of cam 5| has an abrupt shoulder 66, Fig. 9, and an elevating cam section 66a.

A switch arm 6'! is pivoted at 68 on a base 69 of insulating material, and the arm 61 extends beyond its pivot 68 and terminates in a flanged end 18, Figs. 2 and 9, which rides upon the periphery of the cam 5|. A spring I! urges the switch arm 81 in a direction to press the flanged end 19 of the switch arm against the periphery of the cam 5|, so that when the abrupt shoulder 66 of the cam is brought into alignment with the flanged end 10, the spring II will rock the switch arm in a direction to carry the contact 72 thereof into engagement with a terminal contact 13 and complete a circuit between the wires 14 and 15.

The cam 5| rotates with the dial cylinder 46 in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 9 and, therefore, once for each revolution of the cam 5| and cylinder 46, the shoulder 66 is brought into alignment with the flanged end 10 of the switch arm and the circuit to the shell firing device I2 is closed. Immediately upon further rotation of the cam 5|, the flanged end 79 of the switch arm will be carnmed outwardly to open the shell firing circuit at the contacts 12 and 13. The cam 5| is so positioned on the bushing 49 that its shoulder 66 moves into alignment with the flanged end (I!) with the switch arm exactly at the time the zero graduation on the minutes dial cylinder 46 becomes centered in its window 22.

The dial graduation indicating the maximum length of the contest period, which is set at a window 22 when the device is ready to start, and which would be the numeral 20 in a basketball timer, is spaced from the zero graduation a substantial distance in a peripheral direction, so that at the start of the game or contest period the cam 5| will be in a position in which it has cammed the switch arm 61 into open circuit position. Were the start and stop positions of the dial cylinders not made materially different, then the switch arm 67 would be in closed position at the start of the operation and the shell would be fired as soon as the timer was prepared for the start of a contest.

The shell firing device I2, shown in Figs. '1, 14, 15 and 16, includes a housing having, as one wall thereof, a plate 18 of insulating material. The end wall 11 of the housing, at the end opposite from the plate 16, is connected along one edge by a hinge 18 to the housing, and a flange 19 on an edge of the hinged end wall 11 is adapted to engage with a lug on the housing to latch the end wall 11 releasably in closed position. Within the housing and at the end adjacent the plate 76, is a block 80 of insulating material having an L-shaped metallic plate 8| fitting an angular portion thereof in a suitable recess 82.

One of the Wires from the firing switch, such as the wire 74, is connected to the plate 8|, as shown in Fig. 15, and another wire 14a is grounded to the metal casing or housing of the device HE. A metallic plunger 83 is disposed in a passage 84 in the insulating block 88 and the plate 8| extends across the upper end of the passage 84. The plate 8| has an aperture which uides the upper end of the plunger 83 and a spring 85 surrounds the plunger 83 and is compressed between the plate 8| and a head 86 of the plunger, so as to urge the head 86 downwardly while forming an electrical connection between the plunger and the plate 8|.

The head 88 is guided in a recess 81 of block 88 and the end of the plunger 83 which passes through the plate 8| may be upset to limit the extent of movement of the plunger by the spring 85. The hinged end wall 11 carries on its inner face a block 88 of insulating material and this block 88 is provided with a passage 89 which continues through an opening in the wall 11. A blank cartridge shell 90 is removably mounted in the passage 89 at the inner face of the block 88, so that when the block 88 is swung into the housing by a closing of the wall 11, the head of the cartridge will be carried into contact with the head 86 of the plunger 83, and will shift the plunger 83 endwise to a limited extent against the action of the spring 85, as shown in Fig. 14.

Referring now particularly to Fig. '7, the blank cartridge 98 includes a metallic shell closed at one end by wad 9| and carrying in its chamber a charge of powder 92. The other end of the shell is closed by a cup-shaped, metallic" cap 93 which is flanged over the metallic shell, with the cup portion extending into the body of the shell and with the open face of the cup facing outwardly. The bottom wall of the cup-shaped portion is provided with an aperture 94. A somewhat cylindrical, fiber sleeve or block 95 abuts against the end of the cap 93, and has a reduced, cylindrical portion 98 extending endwise thereof into the cup-shaped portion of cap 93. The block 95 and the reduced sleeve portion 98 have a common passage from end face to end face.

A tubular bushing or element 9i of metal is .fitted into the outer end of the passage in the sleeve 95 and. is provided at its outer end with a peripheral flange 9B which overlies the outer end face of the sleeve 95. A drop of solder 89 may close the outer end of the metallic sleeve 91 at the flange 98. A fine wire H39 is disposed in the passage in the body 95, one end being secured to the metallic bushing 97 by the solder 99. Th other end of the wire Hi extends beneath the inner end of the fiber sleeve 96 and is wedged between the outer periphery of the sleeve 98 and the side Wall of the cup-shaped portion of the cap 93, so as to provide an electrical connection between the flange 98 of the sleeve 9'! and the metallic cap 93 which closes one end of the powder chamber of the cartridge shell.

A metallic plate or strip ass, Figs. 14 to 16, is disposed on the inner end face of the insulating block 88, so as to extend up to the passage 89 in which the cartridge shell is placed, where it will be engaged by the peripheral portion of the metallic cap 93 on the cartridge shell 9%. The strip it! is anchored in position by a screw Hi2 which passes through the strip ltl, through the insulating block 83, and is threaded into the metallic end wall ll of the housing. When a cartridge is in place in the housing, a circuit is established through the cartridge as follows:

From wire i lto angular plate 8i, through the spring (ll-ii to the plunger 85, thence through the flanged head 85 of the plunger to the flanged end 98 of the cartridge, thence through the fine wire its to the metallic cap t3, then through plate or strip iiii, screw W2 and hinged end wall ll of the housing to the housing casing to which the wire Mat is grounded. Thus when the switch arm lil' engages the contact '53, the circuit from the line wires will be completed through the wire tilt of the shell. Since the wire liltl is a fine wire, current through it makes it hot or incandescent, and the heat therefrom passing through the aperture 9t ignites the powder charge 32 and explodes the blank cartridge, thus audibly indicating the end of a contest period.

The spectators clock l i will next be described. The visual indicating hand ill of this clock is mounted on a reduced hub of a bushing its (Fig. by means of a screw MM and a dished washer IE5, and the bushing is detachably connected by a screw 5% to one end of a hand shaft lill. The shaft lil'l is rotatably mounted in a pair of spaced frame plates its and Nita. A constant speed, electric motor 5%, preferably of the alternating current, synchronous type, is mounted at one side of the plate Wild and acting through a suitable reduction gearing lit, drives a pinion Mild in the manner commonly employed in synchronous motor clocks. The pinion lite meshes with and drives the gear ill provided on a spindle M2, and a pinion H3 provided on the spindle M2 meshes with and drives a gear M l. The gear lid is rotatably mounted on a spool-like bushing H5 which is carried byand rotates with the shaft ld'l, with a dished washer HE acting between the bushing I55 and the gear M to provide a frictional drive between the gear H t and the shaft lfll'. The shaft ml also carries a gear I ll by which the hand may be reset.

The resetting mechanism for the hand ill will now be described. A resetting motor lItl, Fig. 3, similar to motor Hit, acts through reduction gearing similar to the gearing of the hand operating motor H58 to drive a gear l I9. An arm lfit is pivoted at Mild to the frame of the resetting motor and extends across the axis of rotation of the gear H9. A gear MI is rotatably mounted, by a pin l22, on the arm l2i3 so as to mesh with the gear H9, and a gear I23 is rotatably mounted, by pin M6, on the arm lid so as to mesh with the gear Hi. When the arm are is given a limited rocking movement in one direction, the

I23 will be carried into meshing engagement with the gear I I! which is mounted on the hand shaft Illl. During this limited movement of the arm are, the gear lEI will remain in mesh with the gear Illl and hence the gear M9 will act through the gear I2! and the gear .623 to drive the gear l I! and through it rotate the hand shaft Iill.

A spring H25, acting between the arm i263 and a suitable part of the frame, resiliently holds the arm lZt in a retracted position such as shown in Fig. 3, in which the gear l23 is near, but out of mesh with, the gear lII.

An electromagnet I26 is mounted on the frame of the spectators clock, adjacent the free end of the pivoted arm I20, and the core l2l' of this magnet acts upon an L-shaped armature I28 which is carried by the arm IZiIl, with one arm of the L of the armature extending in front of the end of the core I21. When the magnet M6 is energized, it will attract the armature H28 and rock the arm I20 against the action of spring i225, and carry the gear $23 into meshing engagement with the gear ill on the hand shaft.

An arm E29 carried upon the frame of the motor Ills carries a stop flange i353 which limits the extent to which the arm ill may move in a direction to cause a meshing of the gears I23 and ill, so that the gears will mesh properly without undue pressure between them under the pull of the magnet. A flanged stop It i, also provided on the arm lid, is disposed in a position to engage the opposite side of the arm I2t and limit the retraction of the arm iilil under the action of spring I25, so as to prevent the armature [I28 from moving too far away from the core iii? of the magnet H6.

The time-out mechanism will next be described. linotner constant speed motor l32, Fig. 33, similar to motor 28, acts through a gear reduction mechanism to drive a pinion E33, Figs. and 6. An arm ltd is pivoted at N35 to the motor frame, and is urged by a spring tilt in a d rection away from the pinion and into ena gement with a stop pin lS'l also carried by the motor frame. The pin lill has the end portion which is engaged by the arm 53d split or cut so to "form a half cylinder eccentric to the axis of the pin, and the pin is bolted or screwed to the frame of the motor, so. that by turning the iSl through part of a revolution about its longitudinal axis, it provides an adjustable, eccentric stop that limits to diiierent extents the retraction of the arm I34.

A gear I38 is rotatably mounted by a pin I39 on the arm I34, and is shiftable into and out of meshing engagement with the pinion hi3 upon a rocking of the arm I3 1. The pin I39 is fixed to the gear I33 so as to rotate therewith and also carries a switch arm Mil. A spring MI anchored to the arm I34 acts upon the arm Mil to urge it into a retracted position in which it abuts against an adjustable stop M2. The direction of rotation of the pinion I33 is such that when the gear I 38 is meshed therewith, it will drive the arm M6 in a direction away from the stop I42. The stop M2 is mounted on a plate M3 of insulating material, and this plate also carries a contact pin I44 in a position to be engaged by the arm Mil after it has travelled through a desired angular distance away from the stop M2. An electromagnet I45 is mounted in a position to attract an armature M6 provided on the arm E35, so that when the electromagnet i l-5 is energized it will attract the arm 83 i and carry the gear I38 into meshing engagement with the pinion ltd.

Referring now particularly to the wiring diagram, Fig. 12, the operating current is supplied by line wires Ll and L2 of any suitable commer cial source of operating current, which is usually of the 60 cycle, alternating current of regulated frequency. One of the wires ltd forming part of the twin wire it, connects the line wire L2 to one side of the switch 2d, the other side of the switch 24 being connected by a wire M-li to a bus bar Ml in the control box, to a light 548 for the spectators clock, and to a light I49 provided within the control box I0 to illuminate the dial cylinders 46 and 56. A common return wire I also connects the lights I48 and I49 to another bus bar I5I, which is connected by a wire I317 of the twin wire I3 to the other line wire LI. The bus bar I41 is also connected by wires I52 and I53 to the central contact of the double throw switch 21, provided on the panel 2I.

One end terminal of the switch 21 is connected by a wire I54 to the motor I68 of the spectators clock, which drives the hand 20 to indicate the passage of time during a contest period. The wire I54 is also connected to the motor 28 which drives the dial cylinders 46 and 56 in the control box. The motors I08 and 28 are also connected to the common return wire I50. The other end terminal of the switch 21 is connected by a wire I55 to an electromagnet I56 which is associated with the motor 28, and to another and similar electromagnet I51 which is associated with the motor I08 of the spectators clock. The two electromagnets I56 and I51 are in series with one another, and the electromagnet I51 is connected by a wire I58 to the common return wire I50.

The electromagnet I56 (see also Fig. 2) is disposed in axial alignment with and adjacent the rotor of the motor 28, so that when the electromagnet I56 is energized, it will set up a magnetic field in which the rotor of the motor turns. By means of eddy currents induced in the rotor by such magnetic field, a magnetic brake is applied to the rotor which promptly stops its rotation. When the switch 21 is moved into the full line position (Fig. 12) to open the circuit to the motors 26 and I08, it automatically closes the circuit to the electromagnets I56 and I 51, and when moved into a position to close the circuits to motors 28 and I08, it opens the circuit through the electromagnets I56 and I51.

The electromagnets I56 and I51 are thus energized only when the current to the motor is cut off. Thus when the current to the motor 28 is cut off, the electromagnet I56 which is disposed in proximity to the rotor of the motor 28, will immediately stop the rotor so as to reduce to a minimum the drift of the rotor and the parts driven thereby. Otherwise the time indicating parts, and the operating mechanism therefor might, by inertia, continue to operate or drift to some extent after the power to the motor is cut off. The electromagnet I51 is similarly arranged in inductive relation to the rotor of the motor I08 as shown in Fig. 5, so as to stop the drift of the indicating hand 20 of the spectators clock.

The wire I53 is also connected to one side of the switch 23 on the control box panel 2| the other side of switch 23 being connected by a wire I 59 to one side of the resetting motor II8 of the spectators clock, and also to one side of the electromagnet I26 which rocks the arm I 20 in a direction to couple the resetting motor to the time indicating hand 20. The other side of the motor H8 and of the electromagnet I26 are also connected to the common return wire I50. A wire I60 connects the bus bar I 5I to the timeout motor I32, the other side of that motor being connected by wires I6I and I62 to the wire I52. Thus when the switch 24 is closed, a circuit will be immediately established from the line wires LI and L2 through the bus bars I41 and I5I to the time-out motor I32.

The electromagnet I45 of the time-out device is connected at one side by a wire I63 to the wire I62, and at its other side by a wire I64 to one side of the switch 25. The other side of switch 25 is connected by wire I05 to the wire I60 leading to the bus bar I5I. Thus by C os we switch 25, a circuit is established to the electromagnet I45 which shifts the gear I38 into meshing engagement with the pinion I33 oi thetimeout motor, which starts an operation of the timeout switch arm I40. The contact pin I44 of the time-out device is connected by a wire I66 to an electric horn I61, the other side of the horn being connected to the wire I60.

The arm I34 of the time-out device is connected by a wire it??? to the wire I62 so that when the contact arm I40 of the time-out device is operated by its motor into a position to engage the contact pin I44, a circuit will be established from bus bar I41 through wires I52 and I68, arm I34, switch arm i 36, pin I44, wire I66, horn I61, and wire I60 to the other bus bar I5I. The closing of this circuit sounds the horn I61 which audibly indicates the end of a time-out period. The time keeper then immediately opens the switch 25 which stops the sounding of the horn, and immediately operates the switch 21 to the on position to resume the measurement of the time for the main contest period. The teeth of the pinion I33 and gear I38 which are the usual spur type gear teeth, will cause a camming of the gear I38 to one side if the motor of the time-out mechanism continues to operate after the arm I 46 has engaged contact pin I44 for any appreciable interval of time. The arm I40 is sufficiently flexible so as to allow some duration of the contact and then if the motor II8 continues to rotate, the gear I38 and arm I34 will be cammed to the right in Fig. 2 sufliciently to release the arm I40 which then returns partially or entirely to resetting position. The arm I40 would then be again forwarded towards contact I44 and this operation repeated. This is an unusual situation which can only happen when the 1operator disobeys instructions and is clearly negigen The switch 26 is connected at one side to the Wire I63 and at its other side to the wire I56 and when closed it completes a circuit through the horn I61 in shunt to the switch formed of the arm I40 and contact pin I 44. This enables the time keeper to sound the horn I61 at will merely by closing the switch 26. The wire 15 from the cartridge explosion switch 61 is connected to the wire I46, and the'wire 14a from the cartridge firing device I2 is connected to the common return wire I50.

In Fig. 13 I have illustrated a slight modification of the circuit shown in Fig. 12, in which the switch 23, instead of being connected to the wire I53 as in Fig. 12, is connected by a Wire I69 to the wire I55 on the on side of the switch 21. With this arrangement the closing of the switch 23 will not start an operation of the resetting motor, unless the switch 21 is in a position in which the motor I08 operating the spectators clock hand is shut off, thus making it impossible for the two motors I08 and II 8 to attempt to drive the spectators clock hand 20 at difierent speeds or in different directions.

Operation The operation of the devicein connection with a basketball game will now be explained. With the parts connected, as shown in Fig. 12, the time keeper pulls out the resetting button 59 until the pinion 6| meshes with the gear 52, and then the button 59 is rotated to operate the dial train connecting the dial drums 46 and 56 until they indi cate, at the windows 22, a reading of exactly twenty minutes and no seconds, which is the starting position. The time keeper then presses the button 59 inwardly into the position shown in Fig; 2, in which the pinion Glis disconnected from the dial train shown in Fig. 8. With the dial cylinder 46 in this starting position, the cam 5! will have an angular position such that the shoulder 66 is somewhat past the flanged end it of the switch arm 61, with the contacts 12 and '53 separated.

It is now possible safely to insert a blank cartridge in the firing device 52. To do this, the hinged wall TI is unlatched and swung through the dotted line position shown in Fig. 14 to expose the inner end face of the insulating block 83. A blank cartridge, such as shown in Fig. '7, is then inserted in the passage 39 as shown in Figs. 14: and 15, after which the hinged wall ill is swung into closed position and latched, as shown by the full lines in Figs. 14 and 15. When the hinged wall 11 is swung into closed position in this manner, the head of the cartridge is carried into endwise engagement against the head of the plunger 83, shifting the latter slightly against the action of the spring 55 which completes a circuit through the cartridge, except for the separation of contacts '32 and i3. At this time the switch 2'! is in the off position.

The main switch E l may now be closed, which connects the line wires Li and L2 to the control box I0. When this occurs the electric lights M8 and I49 will be lighted so as to illuminate the dial of the spectators clock it and the cylinder dials of the control box iii. The time keeper closes the switch 23 which energizes the electromagnet 526 to couple the resetting motor M8 to the gear ill on the shaft of the spectators clock hand 2! at the same time completing the circuit through the resetting motor H8. The motor M8 thus drives the hand 26 of the spectators clock at a desired rate until the hand 26 reaches the position indicating the start of a contest period, which will be twenty minutes in the case of a basketball game. In the type of spectators clock illustrated, the zero and twenty minute positions are the same, so that the indicating hand 29 will rotate once in twenty minutes unless stopped for time-out periods.

When the hand 2i! reaches the starting position shown in Fig. 1 the time keeper opens the switch 23 which stops the resetting motor M3, and through the energization of the electromagnet lZfi uncouples the resetting motor from the hand 2;). The device is now ready to time a contest. To start the game the time keeper may momentarily depress the switch 26 one or more times as may be necessary to sound the horn Hill a similar number of times, and thus audibly indicate to the players and to the spectators that the contest is about to start. At the start of the game the time keeper may momentarily operate the switch 26 again to sound the horn I61 to indicate that the game is starting and at the same time the time keeper throws the switch 21 to the on position. The motor 28 in the control box now operates at a constant speed to slowly turn the dials 46 and 56, and at the same time the motor MB of the spectators clock drives the hand 2%) in the direction of the arrow (Fig. 1) to indicate the passage of time.

Whenever either team asks for time out, the time keeper throws the switch 21 to the off position, and simultaneously closes the switch 25 to start the operation of the time-out device by energizing the electromagnet I45. When the switch 21 was moved to ofi position, the current to the motors I23 and H18 was discontinued and the electromagnets lilfi and i5? were energized to apply magnetic brakes to the rotors of those motors, and quickly stop further travel of the control box dials 46 and 5t and of the hand Zil at the spectators clock. Immediately upon the closing of the switch 25, the gear 938 of the timeout mechanism was coupled to the continuously rotating pinion I33 driven by the motor I32, and the switch arm Mi began to move away from the full line position shown in Fig. 6.

When the arm it engages the pin M4, as shown in Fig. 6, it completes the circuit through the horn H51 and sounds an audible signal that the time-out period which is of predetermined duration, such as one minute, is ended, whereupon the time keeper opens the switch 25 and closes the switch 21. When switch 25 is opened, the electromagnet M5 is deenergized, the gear E38 is uncoupled from pinion I33, and the spring I 4| returns the arm Hill to the initial position shown in Fig. 2. The closing of the switch 2'! immediately restarted the timer motors 23 and 168 to continue the operation of the time dials 46 and 56 in the control box and the hand of the spectators clock. Further time-out periods may be allowed in the same manner as above explained, by merely repeating the operation of the switches 25 and 21.

It will be noted that at all times the dials 46 and 56 of the control box and the hand 29 of the spectators clock will indicate the time remaining in the period yet to be played, and when the minute dial 46 in the control box reaches its zero position, which happens at the same time that the hand 2!! reaches the zero position on the spectators clock, the shoulder 68 of the cam 5| will have moved into alignment with the flanged end 10 of the switch arm 61, whereupon the spring ll snaps the switch arm 61 in. a direction to engage the contacts 12 and 13 which completes a circuit between the bus bars M1 and I5! and through the firing device I2.

The current passing through the fine wire IUD in the cartridge mounted in the firing device 12, will ignite the powder charge 92 in the cartridge,

and the resulting firing of the cartridge gives a pronounced audible signal to indicate the end of the contest period. The time keeper then opens the switch 2'! and resets the apparatus for a new contest period.

It will be understood that various changes in the details and arrangements of parts, which have been herein described and illustrated in order to explain the nature of the invention, may be made by those skilled in the art, within the principle and scope of the invention, as expressed in the appended claims. It will also be understood that the timing periods may be changed for different games.

We claim as our invention:

1. A timer of the type adapted for the timing of games and contests, which comprises a spectators clock having a visual time indicating element and a constant speed, electric synchronous motor operating said element and continuously coupled thereto, an observers time indicating clock having visual time indicating means and a constant speed, electric synchronous motor continuously coupled to said indicating means for driving the same, a source of alternating current, a circuit for each of said motors including said source, a switch in said circuits and operable between on and 01f positions, for simultaneously controlling the operation of both of said motors so as to start the same together at will when said switch is in on position and stop it when in off position, a magnetic brake associated with each motor and operable when energized, to stop the motors quickly and thereby decrease the drift of the motors, said indicating element and said indicating means, and an electric circuit for each of said magnetic brakes, both brake circuits receiving operating current from said source and also controlled by said switch and rendered eilective upon the operation of said switch into ofi position to open the circuit to the motors.

2. A timer of the type adapted for the timing of games and contests which comprises mechanism with visual indicating means, a constant speed electric motor for driving said mechanism so as to indicate the passage of time by said means, control means for rendering said motor effective to start and stop the operation of said mechanism with its indicating means, a switch closed by said motor and mechanism when said indicating means reaches a predetermined position indicating the end of a contest period, a cartridge shell having therein a powder charge and a heating wire positioned to ignite said charge, and a circuit including said switch and said heating wire, whereby when said indicating means reaches a predetermined position indicating the end of a contest period, said switch will be closed and the cartridge fired to audibly indicate the end of the contest period.

3. A timer of the type adapted for the timing of games and contests, which comprises a spec- I arm driven by said resetting motor and shiftable with said arm into and out of driving relation to said indicating element, for driving said indicating element, when said gearing is in driving relation to said indicator element, at a faster rate than it is driven by the constant speed motor for resetting it, and means including a switch for controlling the swinging of said arm to couple or uncouple said resetting motor and said indicating element.

4. A timer of the type adapted for the timing of games and contests, which comprises a spectators clock having a visual time indicating element and a constant speed, electric motor connected to said element for driving it in a direction to indicate the passage of time, means including a switch for controlling the operation of said element by said motor so as to start and stop the operation of said element at will, resetting means operable, when active, into driving relation to said element and operating said element at a faster rate than said element is driven by said constant speed motor, and manually operated means for controlling the action of said resetting means on said indicating element, by which the resetting of said element may be started and stopped at will, both of said controlling means being interconnected by which said resetting means can be made active on said time indicating element solely while said constant speed motor is inactive on said indicating element.

5. A timer of the type adapted for games and contests which comprises a spectators clock having visual time indicating means and a synchronous motor for operating it to indicate the passage of time in a contest period, a monitor unit having visual time indicating means and a synchronous motor for operating it to also indicate the passage of time, circuit means for said motors including a common switch by which both motors may be started and stopped simultaneously, a cable forming part of said circuit means connecting said motors whereby the monitor unit may be disposed at a substantial distance from the spectators clock, a source of alternating current for said motors, electrically controlled brake means for each of said motors operable from the same source of current alternately with said motors by said common switch, whereby when said switch is operated to off position to stop the motors, it makes said brake devices eiiective to stop said motors promptly and thus quickly stop the operation of both visual time indicating means and prevent drift thereof, a resetting motor-operated device at said spectators clock for returning the visual time indicating means of that clock to starting position, a circuit in said cable for said resetting device leading to said monitor unit, and switch means at said unit in said last named circuit for controlling the operation of said resetting device, said last named circuit also including in series therewith said common switch and being closed through that switch when said common switch is in said 01f position.

6. A timer of the type adapted for games and contests which comprises a spectators clock having visual time indicating means and a synchronous motor for operating it to indicate the passage of time in a contest period, a monitor unit having visual time indicating means and synchronous motor for operating it to also indicate the passage of time, circuit means for said motors including a common switch device by which both motors may be started and stopped simultaneously, a cable forming part of said circuit means connecting said motors whereby the monitor unit may be disposed at a substantial distance from the spectators clock, electrically controlled brake means for each of said motors operable alternately with said motors by said common switch device, whereby when said switch device is operated to off position to stop the motors, it makes said brake devices effective to stop said motors promptly and thus quickly stop the operation of both visual time indicating means and prevent drift thereof, a resetting motor-operated device at said spectators clock for returning the visual time indicating means of that clock to starting position, a circuit in said cable for said resetting device leading to said monitor unit, and switch means at said unit for controlling the operation of said resetting device, the circuit in said cable for said resetting device being controlled by said common switch device for the synchronous motors and rendered effective solely while said switch means for the synchronous motors is in off position, in which the synchronous motors are stopped, whereby said resetting device may only be operated While said synchronous motors are idle.

7. A timer of the type adapted for the timing of games and contests which comprises a spectators clock having visual time indicating means and a synchronous motor for operating it to indicate the passage of time from a starting position, a monitor unit dispo ed a substantial distance from the spectators clock and having visual time indicating means and a synchronous motor for operating it to indicate also the passage of time, a source of alternating current, circuit means from said source for operating and stopping said motors in unison, a magnetic brake operable on the rotor of each motor to stop its operation and prevent drift of rotors, a circuit also from said source for the brakes of both motors, a switch controlling said motors and said brakes and causing operation of said motors when in on position and stopping said motors and causing operation of said brakes when in off position, a resetting motor at said spectators clock, automatic means for coup resetting motor to the time indicatin of said spectators clock whenever said r motor is rendered operative, and a circuit including said source of current, a switch at said monitor unit and said switch for said synchronous motors for controlling the activity of said resetting motor, said switches in last named circuit being in series with one another and connected to close the circuit to said resetting motor solely While said synchronous motor switch is in said oii position.

8. A timer of the type adapted for the timing of games and contests which comprises a spectators clock having visual time indicating means and a synchronous motor for operating it to indicate the passage of time from a starting position, a monitor unit disposed at a substantial distance from the spectators clock and having visual time indicating means and a synchronous motor for operating it to indicate also the passage of time, a source of alternating current, circuit means from said source for operating and stopping said motors in unison, a magnetic brake operable inductively on the rotor of each motor to stop its operation and prevent drift of said rotors, a circuit also from said source for the brakes of both motors, a. switch device controlling said motors and said brakes and causing operation of said motors when in on position and stopping said motors and causing operation of said brakes when in off position, a resetting motor at said spectators clock, automatic for coupling said resetting motor to the time indicating means of said spectators clock whenever said resetting motor is rendered operative, and a circuit also from said source including in series with one another a switch at said monitor unit and said switch for said synchronous motors when in 01f position for controlling the activity of said resetting motor, enfective to permit operation of said resetting motor solely while said synchronous motor switch device is in off position.

9. A timer of the type adapted for the timing of games and contests, which comprises a visual time indicator, a synchronous motor continuously connected to and driving said indicator at a rate corresponding to the time intervals indicated whenever said motor is operating, a circuit for said motor, a resetting motor, means for drivingly coupling said resetting motor to said indicator and operable to establish or interrupt the driving connection between said resetting motor and said indicator, a circuit for said resetting motor, means responsive to current in the circuit for said resetting motor for causing opera tion of said coupling means to drivingly couple said resetting motor to said indicator whenever current is supplied to said resetting motor and. to uncouple them automatically whenever said circuit to said resetting motor is opened, a switch included in the circuit to said resetting motor for controlling the activity of said resetting motor and also of said coupling means, and switch means included in the circuit for said synchronous motor and operable between an on position in which it closes the circuit to said synchronous motor and an off position in. which it opens said circuit, said circuit to said resetting motor also inciuding in series therein said switch means when in off position, whereby said resetting motor cannot be operated while said synchronous motor is operating.

VVILBUR C. CRISP. WILLIAM E. BARNES. 

